Can color affect our mood?

Do you feel happy when you wear a pink dress? Or do you prefer wearing dark colors on a gloomy day? Well, according to many years of research, Artists and interior designers believe that presence of color affects our mood, feelings and emotions. It indicates our state of mind on a particular day or occasion. They follow the change of emotions.

Read on to know how color affects our mood.

The Color Psychology:

It was in 1666, when an English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when a pure white ray of light passes through a prism, it splits into a number of colors. Further experiments and studies proved that each of these colors when mixed together can produce a new color or return to its original form. For e.g.: Red color when mixed with yellow light creates an orange color.

Not much theoretical or empirical work has been undertaken in this area till date to study the effects of color on psychological functioning. But a few important discoveries and observations are enough to prove the psychology of color and its impact on mood, feelings and emotions. Color psychology is emerging as an area of research in the field of in marketing, art and design. More and more psychologists want to study the behavior pattern according to change in color.

Reason for choosing a color is associated with one’s own experience, choice and culture. For example: There are few countries where white represents purity and innocence, while at other places it symbolizes grief.

The effects of Color on our body and mind

There are few colors which hold universal meaning. Colors existing in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange, and yellow. These warm colors are known to trigger feelings of different emotions like warmth, comfort and anger. While colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and include blue, purple, and green. They evoke feelings of calmness, sadness and dullness.

Color Psychology can heal disorders

In olden times, ancient cultures including the Egyptians and Chinese practiced Chromotherapy to treat disorders related to color. This treatment includes using colors like Red to stimulate the body and mind, Yellow to stimulate the nerves, Orange to heal lungs, Blue to soothe illness and Indigo to treat skin problems.

Modern Research on Color Psychology

Most psychologists believe that different colors have different meanings in different cultures. Few colors might have a different effect on moods initially and change eventually with time. For example a blue colored room initially evokes feelings of calmness, but the effect changes slowly with time.

Few observations on the impact of colors:

A study showed that warm-colored placebo pills were reported to be more effective than cool-colored placebo pills.

According to research, it has been discovered that installing blue-color streetlights can lead to reduced crime rate in those areas.

It has also been discovered that red color incites athletes to perform with greater speed and force during activities.

According to historical data, sports teams dressed in mostly black uniforms are more likely to receive penalties.

Can Color Influence Performance?

Few studies have shown that certain colors could affect the performance of individuals in different situations. For example: Red color is a symbol of threat, arousement and excitement. When red color is seen before taking an exam, it could actually hurt the performance and bring down the morale. This color is supposed to have a negative impact on the test performance.

Color can be understood as an effective communication channel to convey feelings, create certain moods, and influence decisions. The effects of colors on mood, feeling and emotions are subject to personal, cultural, and situational factors.